


Sideways Down

by fupette



Category: NCIS
Genre: Affection, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Friendship, Possibly Unrequited Love, Pre-Relationship, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27100672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fupette/pseuds/fupette
Summary: Nick turns up at Ellie's door with flowers and dinner.
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres
Kudos: 9





	Sideways Down

**Author's Note:**

> English is my first language, all spellings and grammar issues are my own fault. My Irish spellings might annoy readers, but that is how my brain is wired & my spell check is configured!
> 
> Just a quick story why Ellie and Nick despite their palpable chemistry are not a couple yet.

Nick with takeaway boxes from her local Thai place, Ellie mused that this was probably her two favourite things landed on her door step all at once. Lucky me she thought, he knew that she wouldn't have time to do a grocery shop after her earlier red-eye flight. Smiling broadly to usher him in, when she saw the flowers half-hidden behind his back, her grin faltered. 

She stopped Nick in his tracks, placing the palms of her small hands on his broad chest. She closed her eyes as she whispered sorry, not able to face watching Nick’s reaction, she knew his intentions were honourable and pure, he just didn’t realise how broken she was. She couldn’t let him say the words, she’d need to nip this in the bud, before he said something neither of them could take back.

“I trust you with my life, I do love you…its not you its me, I swear” the words fumble quickly from her mouth, she watches through flinching eyes as Nick visibly deflated, his happy buoyant mood crushed to a sullen confusion before he had attempted his grand romantic gesture. “Nick, don’t go… Please!… I wasn’t lying when I said I love you. I’m sorry, so sorry.” Her voice is weak, like it could falter at any moment, “It’s just the first guy I trusted with my heart stomped all over it, I could never forgive myself if I did that to you, you don't deserve someone as broken as me”. She watched as his expression softened and he pulled her close to him, she enjoyed the warmth of the embrace. She felt foolish as she couldn’t control the trickling tears from her face. “I nearly let Qasim in and he was assassinated, you are better off without me, I’m like relationship kryptonite”

He let her cry, he knew what heartache felt like, he thought about the tragedy of his high school sweetheart Sophia, he knew that words and rational thoughts could not sway this conversation. In many ways Ellie had helped him heal from those early wounds, he would respect her wishes totally. When he felt her sobs subside he touched her delicately on the chin tilting her face upwards so he could look directly into her tear stained eyes.

“It’s okay Ellie, just know that I love you and I’ll be ready when you are ready to let me in, no pressure you are too important to me as a friend”. He used his thumb to brush a final errant tear that meandered down her flushed cheek. He concentrated on turning his grimace into a weak smile, “You sit down, I’ll plate up dinner. How was your trip to Oklahoma?”.


End file.
